Stay
by Zalika717
Summary: She was always the other woman. She knew and realized that. What she hadn’t realized was that she was in love with another and she had the strength to gather herself back up into his waiting arms. S/K


Author Note:

I like on-shots. They're short, sweet, and simple. Not all of mine are short, however, but this one is. I tried to base it off of one of my favorite songs in country music: Sugarland's Stay.

It made me actually cry when I first saw the music video, such candidness and open sadness. She had been going through a bad divorce when the video was shot. Her husband was having an affair and was leaving her. They were halfway through making the video when she started crying. Instead of cutting it, they kept it and made one of the best country music videos ever in their career.

I hope you like it. I enjoyed writing it.

Summary:

She was always the other woman. She knew and realized that. What she hadn't realized was that she was in love with another and she had the strength to gather herself back up into his waiting arms. S/K

Stay

"Hey, Kagome," brown eyes shifted to the young kitsue not far from her, "can we go swimming after lunch?"

"It is rather hot out," Sango muttered as they went about their task. "A swim sounds nice."

Smiling, how could she possibly pass over this perfect day? It had to be reaching the high eighties, and she was always up for a good swim. Inuyasha had even stopped their march early for lunch today because it was so hot out. "Yeah," she ignored the low growl that rose out of the hanyou not far from her, "I even brought some new swim suits with me."

"You mean those things you were wearing last time?" Sango asked, blushing furiously.

Looking to her friend, she had to fight the giggle that was threatening to rise out of her. "Don't worry, Sango. I didn't get you a bikini."

"What's a bikini?" the all too familiar perverted voice inquired as the two missing individuals from their group returned.

"Kagome's bathing suit," came Shippo's innocent answer as he ran around with the two-tail fire demon.

"Oh," the grin upon the monk's face didn't go unnoticed to anyone amongst the group, "_that_."

"Why do I suddenly feel very dirty right now?" Kagome whispered into her friend's ear. Two sets of brown eyes glanced at each other knowingly before ignoring the priest all together.

The shifting of movement from the other side of the fire drew her attention to the demon knelling there. His long silvery hair was bound back at the nape of his neck, a habit that was becoming rather frequent as of late. She liked it. It kind of made him look a little more masculine. His jaw line and shoulders were a lot more noticeable without the silky strands falling about him.

She watched as he skillfully cleaned the fish that they had just brought back. A smile rose to her when she noticed the knife within his grip. It had taken her several weeks to convince him to use the utensil. As silly as it was, it bothered her when he used his claws to clean the animals. Yeah, he was a demon, but it made her a little squeamish, which he had told her once was pointless and amusing.

Her heartbeat fluttered ever so slightly in her chest when she looked to those hypnotizing amber eyes. It was such an unconscious action, but one she had been doing a lot lately. There was something off about him that she couldn't place. He was still the stoic cold demon lord. He was still as aggressive and dangerous as ever before, but there was...something...different.

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha's voice drew her attention away from the daiyoukai across from her, "can you put that orange stuff on the fish again. That was good the other night."

Orange stuff? It made her giggle ever so softly at his word choice. "Sure, Inuyasha. You just have to get it out of my bag." Within seconds, the sounds of objects hitting each other had her cringing. She should have known better than to ask him to get it. He always left her bag in a disarray. Everything was so much harder to find when he was done.

"Kagome," Sango's gentle tone rose over the sounds of his frantic search, "you never said what you were going to do after we completed the jewel."

Her blood ran cold as the sounds within the clearing went deafening quiet, even the god-like demon across from her paused in his task. "Well," she stuttered, not really sure of what she could do. Miroku's windtunnel was gone, the curse lifted. Sango was free to return back to her village and rebuild. "I don't really know. I guess without the jewel scattered now, I'll go back home." It was the only logical thing.

Right?

Accidently meeting the steady golden eyes over the flames, she wasn't quiet sure anymore.

"Feh," Inuyasha's infamous humph echoing back to her, pulling her attention to him once more. She loved him. He was her first love. Could she really just up and leave? Could she just forget she ever met him?

"Besides," she went on, forcing a smile to her lips, "I'm not even sure the well will let me come back."

That was a total lie. She was damn near close to a hundred percent sure that she could still travel with the jewel completed, as long as no one wished upon it. Inuyasha didn't want to become a full demon anymore, something that thrilled her beyond words. Kikyo was no long willing to return to the world of the living, hating human kind more by every passing day. She was sure that she could still return if she wanted to. The question was, though, what was she to do if she did?

Looking to her puppy-eared love, she knew she wanted to come back to him. She already yearned for his touch and embrace. Meeting his warm amber eyes, the memory of his kiss came back to her with a flood of emotions. Didn't she have him to come back to?

Looking away, she new the truth. She couldn't ignore it despite all her efforts. No matter all the times she was there for him, he would go back to _her_ if she asked. Kikyo had his heart.

_I've been sittin' here stairin' at the clock on the wall_

_And I've been layin' here prayin'_

_Prayin' she won't call_

_It's just another call from home and you'll get it and be gone and I'll be cryin'_

_And I'll be beggin' you baby_

_Beg you not to leave_

_But I'll be left here waitin'_

_My Heart on my sleeve_

_Oh for the next time we'll be here seems like a million years and I think I'm dyin'_

_What so I have to do to make you see_

_She can't love you like me_

_Why don't you stay_

_I'm down on my knees_

_I'm so tired of bein' lonely_

_Don't I give you what you need_

_When she calls you to go_

_There's one thing you should know_

_We don't have to live this way_

_Baby, why don't you stay_

The water felt great against her skin. It had been so hot and sitting next to the fire hadn't helped in the least. Ducking back under, two pairs of strong arms skimmed past her. She knew well who it was, and she'd be damned before he caught her.

"Marco," came his rough growl as she surfaced once again next to Miroku. A echoing call of "Polo" erupted right before he drove for her once again. They all knew he didn't need them to say a word for him to find them, but it was still fun none-the-less.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru's voice drifted out from the lake line, drawing everyone's attention, "you are aware it is pointless to try to grab the miko."

"Oh," he spat, fighting to keep his eyes closed, "and why's that?"

Her heart fluttered as those molten golden eyes leveled on her. There was something in that one look that made her want to jump out of her skin. It had been a while since she was afraid of the daiyoukai that had been traveling with them for the last several weeks. Now, though, shifting her eyes from his, she was terrified.

"She appears to be faster than you in water," came his answering retort, bringing a heated blush to her cheeks.

"Yeah," Inuyasha snapped, unconsciously opening his eyes to glare at his brother, "why don't you come in here and try it?"

"Inuyasha," she muttered, glaring at her friend. She really didn't want him joining them right now.

"Yeah," Miroku's playful grin in place, "come on in, Lord Sesshomaru. I'm sure you'll have fun."

She wanted to drop dead then, but thankfully, he simply up and left, his long, silvery, ponytail whipping about him as he disappeared into the surrounding trees. She hadn't realized she had been watching him until a responding "good riddance" hit her ears. Looking over to the hanyou who was once again closing his eyes to duck under the water and count to ten, she suddenly felt lost.

"Kagome," Sango whispered, startling her ever so slightly, "what was that all about?"

Honestly? She hadn't the slightest idea. Normally, the once distant and rude daiyoukai was rather kind and friendly with them. He was always disgusted and irritated by his brother, but he was surprisingly really nice to the rest of them. She didn't really understand why he just up and left, even though, she was kind of grateful he didn't stay.

Yet, it still bothered her a little.

"Marco," Inuyasha yelled out no more than a few feet from her. Jumping back, the following yells and laughs of "Polo" sounded. It was soon followed by Miroku's cry of disappointment when he was abruptly ducked under the water by one very powerful hand.

"Not fare," he argued, that ever constant grin in place.

Nudging the demon slayer at her side, she didn't even bother to hide the grin that rose to her lips. "Just watch out, Sango. I'm positive he going to be gunning for you."

Despite their open declarations of love, she still found it cute that the strong willed demon slayer still blushed when it came to the perverted monk. They were going to get married in a few weeks and probably start a family of their own. The once womanizing man was settling down with, more than likely, the only woman who could tame him.

Her gaze shifted away from the woman at her side to the two demons once again arguing over something probably absurd. She couldn't help but wish her best friend was as loyal to her as Miroku was to Sango. He held her one too many times during the night so lovingly that she really started to believe his promises. She wanted him, loved him. She was there for him where Kikyo wasn't, but that didn't mean anything in end, did it?

"Marco," Miroku yelled before making a mad dash for where Sango's voice called out.

Smiling, she absently wondered where Sesshomaru vanished to.

_You keep tellin' me baby_

_There will come a time_

_When you will leave her arms_

_And forever be in mine_

_But I don't think that's the truth_

_And I don't like bein' used and I'm tired of waitin'_

_It's too much pain to have to bare to love a man you have to share_

_Why don't you stay_

_I'm down on my knees_

_I'm so tired of bein' lonely_

_Don't I give you what you need_

_When she calls you to go_

_There's one thing you should know_

_We don't have to live this way_

_Baby, why don't you stay_

Her fingers ran through his slightly knotted hair, a rumble of a growl drifting from him. She smiled when his hands, resting on the small of her back, started to need her ever so slightly. It tickled just a bit, but it felt great anyhow.

"Kagome," her name drifting from his lips just breaths from hers, "were you serious earlier?"

Not bothering to open her eyes, her hands drifted to run over his shoulders. "About what?"

As though her words were a trigger, she could feel his heavy gaze upon her. "About going home once we get back to the village? I don't want you to go."

Of course he didn't. Opening her eyes, she met his steady amber gaze with no hesitation at all. She loved him. There was no doubt about that. "I don't want to, but I have no reason to come back."

His strong arms wrapped about her more securely with that. "You have me, Kagome." A cold chill brushed against her as she stared at him. Was she really willing to fall for another one of his promises so easily?

"Inuyasha"—she so badly wanted to believe him, but...

His gaze shifted to something over her shoulder, a new emotion shining out of those beautiful amber eyes. Instantly, her heart sank to her stomach. She should have know better. She _did_ know better.

"Its late," she softly muttered, pulling his hopeful gaze back to her. "We should get back to camp." Who had she been kidding? It was Kikyo for heaven's sake. Of course he would go back to her.

He didn't even bother to argue. Instead, she wrapped her arms securely about his neck as he leapt from the tree branch. "I'm going to go get some wood for the fire. Why don't you head back? I'll see you there in a bit."

Right.

Her heart sank as she watched him disappear into the night. Yet, for some reason, she wasn't crying. Bringing a hand to her cheeks, there was nothing. Never had she felt as calm as she did now. Was it that she was simply getting used to him leaving her and running off? She really hoped it wasn't. The last thing she wanted was to be _fine_ with this whole thing.

It was all ridiculous. Yeah, he was Inuyasha, but that didn't mean she should just simply stand by and let him run off to another. Her mother didn't raise her to deal with this kind of shit, but...she loved him, didn't she? Didn't he love her too?

She knew the truth to that.

Running a hand through her hair, she tried to forget. It was so natural to her now to just block out those pieces of information she wanted to ignore. There was no Kikyo. Inuyasha was just gathering wood for the fire. She wasn't standing in the middle of the forest about to have another panic attack.

Actually, she snickered at herself. She _wasn't_ going to have a panic attack. She wasn't upset really. Hurt, yeah, but not upset. No, instead, she was surprisingly pretty pissed off. She wasn't his little toy to play with and then leave. Who the hell gave him the right to think he could use her whenever he wanted to?

"Kagome," the all too familiar voice spun her around to face the demon lord just a few feet from her. If he wanted to, he could reach out to touch her. The thought of his hand brushing her skin was a fleeting thought as he stared at her. The fear she had been feeling earlier was rising stead fast once more.

"Sesshomaru," she whispered, taking that one small step out of his reach, "where were you?" None of them had seem him once since he left earlier today.

Those steady golden eyes shined with something she recognized but didn't understand. For weeks she noticed that very look in his eyes when she dared meet them, and it was fueling that fear within her depths now.

"I needed time to gather my thoughts," he stated, taking the closing three feet to her in one smooth stride.

Her skin flamed hotter than she thought possible when his hand rose to brush against her cheek. The fear in the pit of her stomach rose to the surface as a wave of panic washed over her. It, however, did nothing to stop the burning fire in her veins. Every fiber of her body screamed at her to run, but she couldn't seem to pull away from him.

"Thoughts?" the familiar sound of her voice breathed out against her control. This wasn't her. She was dreaming. It was the only logical explanation. This wasn't Sesshomaru who was touching her now. She wasn't standing in the middle of the forest. Inuyasha hadn't run off to see Kikyo.

Closing her eyes, his touch was as real to her as anything ever has been.

"My brother is fool, Kagome," her name rolling off his lips with a heated need.

Looking back up into those golden eyes, she could see his confidence radiate to her through the small distance. He was always so in control of himself. No matter how kind he was to them, he never once allowed that solid mask fall from him. Now, everything he had been trying to hide for so long shined out to her with a feverish yearning.

"He doesn't deserve you."

Really? She always saw it the other way around. Kikyo was so much better than her, wasn't she? She was more skilled in everything from archery to healing. She was gorgeous and exotic. Who was she kidding? She was silly to believe Inuyasha would want silly little her when he could have the beautiful priestess.

His soft touch forced her gaze back up to his, and she was left wondering if what she thought was right. Meeting those liquid amber eyes, she couldn't help but feel special, incredibly so at that. "She doesn't hold a candle to you, Kagome," his voice was like silk against her skin. "I have lived for decades and never once came across anything that could be compared to your beauty."

If it wasn't the sound of his voice or the words he spoke that did her in, it was the sudden softness of his lips upon hers that broke every resolve she had to pieces. His newly regenerated arm snaked about her as she wrapped hers about his neck. The slightest rumble of a growl rising out of him as she pulled away for a breathe, her heart hammering like a drum in her chest.

God, he was perfect. The comfort of being held in his arms, having those hypnotizing amber eyes staring down at her, as though she was the light in his life. He was a god of a man, strong and commanding, honorable and loyal. His touch was as soft as silk against her fevered body.

None of that mattered, though, compared to the peace and security she felt in his embrace.

She could feel his distress in his arms about her. He thought she was going to take it all back and run. It wasn't until then that she didn't want to. All of her previous fears were gone with his kiss. It was as though the one act told her everything she needed to know to see what was right in front of her the entire time. She hadn't been afraid of him but what he rose in her. She was madly in love with this daiyoukai and couldn't remember when and how he managed to wedge her hanyou out to consume her entirely.

"Kagome," he started.

A feral growl from the side drew her attention to the furious hanyou who stood next to a surprisingly startled dead priestess.

_I can't take it any longer but my will is gettin' stronger_

_And I think I know just what I have to do_

_I can't waste another minute_

_After all that I've put in it_

_I've given you my best_

_Why does she get the best of you_

_So next time you find you wanna leave her bed for mine_

_Why don't you stay_

_I'm up off my knees_

_I'm so tired of bein' lonely_

_You can't give me what I need_

_When she begs you not to go_

_There's one thing you should know_

_I don't have to live this way_

_Baby why don't you stay_

That one look from the woman at his side was all she needed to conform the truth. Knowing and suspecting were two far different things. All of the pain she had thought would come staring at the truth right in the face was surprisingly absent. She was angry, that was apparent, but...

She wasn't hurting.

Looking to the daiyoukai wrapped about her, his narrowed golden were fixed on the hanyou growling only a few feet from them. The protectiveness in his gaze was so much more intense than she had ever seen from her former love.

Former love? Looking back to the boy staring at her, everything was making so much more sense now. Her heart never fluttered when he looked upon her. Her skin never felt like it was going to go up in flames with his simple touch. She Never had that feeling of "fireworks" that everyone talked about when he kissed her. Bringing her arms to wrap about the man against her, she had all of that and so much more with him.

"Kagome," Inuyasha's growl flowed out over the distance to make her jump ever so slightly. Two pairs of strong arms pulled her closer as a dangerously low growl washed over her in response to the boy's outward anger. "Get the hell off of her, Sesshomaru. She's mine."

"Really, brother?" his deep baritone shook her as the underline growl vibrated against her body. "It seems that she no longer wants to be with you."

"Inuyasha," Kikyo's voice drew her attention as she came to see the pain she once felt long ago shining out of her brown eyes, "you swore that you had stopped this." That one statement was all she needed to hear to know what the priestess was saying. Where she knew that he was running off to see another, Kikyo did not. The idiot hadn't betrayed only her after all.

Like always with the moron, he was lost for words, his amber eyes shifting from one miko to the other. He was tore between his old love and his new. It was a look she was far too familiar with. Yet, this time was different. He no longer had to choose.

"Inuyasha," her voice drawing two sets of amber eyes, "I'm done. I don't want to have to worry about the next time you leave me to run off to her, because in the end, it doesn't matter."

"Kagome," she watched as the pain flowed to the surface of his amber eyes, "you can't be serious. Its Sesshomaru."

Her heart warmed as the said daiyoukai drew her in more securely. She knew well who this man was. "And I don't have to worry about him leaving me." Feeling his deep rumble vibrate against her, she knew with every fiber of her being that this was the man she was suppose to be with.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo's soft call pulling at the hanyou next to her.

"Stay with her, Inuyasha," she spoke, a small smile playing at her lips. "She wants you more than I do."

With one secure tug from the priestess at his side, he vanished back into the forest once and for all. He no longer had a reason to come back, and she, looking up to the god of a man against her, now had everything to come back to. She was free.

"Come," he whispered into her ear before gathering her in his arms and heading back to camp. Everything was finally falling into their rightful places.

Sugarland – Stay

(Video Music Link) .com/watch?v=yIyxkZod2cM


End file.
